EDFL 2019: Tullamarine targets flag after grand final defeats
Tullamarine is again in a strong position to push for promotion to Premier Division, and coach David Connell says nothing less than a premiership will satisfy his group.
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Tullamarine coach David Connell has declared only a flag will satisfy a playing group he says is as hungry as ever to atone for three grand final defeats in the past five seasons.
While the Demons did not finish minor premier in 2014, ’16 or ’18, talk of the EDFL Division 1 club’s failure to claim the ultimate prize and earn promotion to Premier Division has been a constant.
Tullamarine is locked in a three-way battle with East Keilor and Craigieburn for a top-two berth, while Westmeadows are also set to feature in finals.
“From internal within the playing group, I think it’s a flag or a fail,” Connell said.
“I don’t want to put pressure on the coaching staff or playing group, but I think where we’ve come from and the season we’ve had so far…
“There’s not a real standout side like there has been in previous years.
“Probably any of three or four sides can win it.”
The Demons have taken part in altitude training in recent weeks in a bid to steel themselves for the pointy end of the campaign.
Connell credited the likes of recruits David Scott, Joel Bonnici, Cameron Hare and Blair Cronin for their work off the ground.
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“That’s driven by the playing group to step up our training,” he said.
“Last year we felt like we were backing off because we were getting players injured.
“That’s probably the difference — the group feel a lot more driven than what they were last year, and that’s the influence of other guys coming into the side.”
Dual best and fairest Hare, who made his first senior appearance of 2019 against Oak Park in Round 14, has helped give the midfield an edge in his role as a playing assistant coach.
While stars Anthony Prestia and Kane Mulvaney have had interrupted seasons, Tullamarine has not been left vulnerable in their absence.
Gun defender Tim Barresi has also been on the sidelines since sustaining a broken collarbone against Roxburgh Park on June 15, while Joel Flanigan, Nathan Sciberras, Shannon Dowsett and Steve Vocale are others who have missed games.
Connell said injuries came at the wrong time for his team last season as it lost a memorable grand final to Airport West by 13 points.
The Demons piled on nine unanswered goals in an awe-inspiring third-quarter assault after trailing by 53 points.
They remarkably led by a goal at the last change before falling short, 16.11 (107) to 13.16 (94).
“We didn’t feel we were the second-best side,” Connell said.
“We had a couple of really good battles with Airport West throughout the year.
“You always need a little bit of luck, and I think we were pretty injury free until about Round 10 or 11. Then we started to get a few injuries.
“At Round 16, we might have had eight of our best 22 out and then we were scratching to get a few of them back and a few of them were underdone.
“In the (major semi-final), we had three guys who hadn’t played for five weeks, so the cards didn’t align.
“Then obviously in the grand final … seemingly when the game was out of reach was when we played our best footy.”
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